Event Tips and Tricks

How to Run An Event: Tips and Tricks

We’re close to wrapping up another busy year of author events. Scheduling, planning, and hosting an event is a process – our team is here to make it as smooth as possible. We know that juggling all of the moving parts can get overwhelming, so we wanted to provide some tips, tricks, and secrets to success.
 
When you’re hosting an event, please feel to free to reach out for clarity on any of our event materials or with any questions. Our goal is to help make your event successful and stress free. 

Marketing For Your Event

Creating a Press Release for Local Media:
AU will provide a folder with authorized author photos and cover images. Your team can use these to create a press release for local newspapers, email marketing, social media, and newsletter boards. Feel free to get creative, or to ask us for examples.
Consider arranging advance media interviews with the author:
A short interview with a local paper or radio station can reach a lot of potential attendees. Feel free to ask your event designer or our content manager about setting up an interview in advance of your event. Many of the authors we represent are happy to spend a bit of time sharing and building excitement, especially if it’s quickly over the phone or zoom. We can’t make promises, but we can always pass along the request. 
 
Social Media Assets:
Promote your event! Social media is often the easiest way to reach people. Create graphics using our media kit, share tidbits of the author’s book, or put in a request with our team to have the author record a short promo video for your social media or website. Again, we can’t make any promises, but most authors are happy to do this if they have the time. 

 AU Promotion:

Our internal marketing team is busy – so we can’t do the publicity for you. While we can help answer questions and give guidance when needed, our role for events is behind the scenes. However, we’re always happy to re-post and re-share marketing assets that you send our way. Feel free to tag our pages!

Successful Q&A’s

For Larger Audiences:
Larger audiences can get hectic with an open Q&A. We’ve learned that with audiences of over 200 people, it’s best to curate the Q&A in advance. You can do this via an email survey prior to the event, a submission form on your website, or a QR code at your event (AU can create this for you). Then your team can choose the most popular, relevant and respectful questions. 
 
Alternatively, your staff members can moderate by traveling through the audience with microphones. We don’t recommend passing around an open mic. 
 
For Smaller Audiences:
Smaller audiences (perhaps a classroom or a workshop) are more ideal for a traditional open mic situation. This allows for longer, more thought out questions in a more intimate setting. Consider having 2 positioned mics at the front of your audience, or allowing this in a more conversational setting if your group is small enough. 
 
For large and small groups alike, please ensure that your sound system is set up and tested prior to the event. 

Staffing Your Event

We know that every program and organization has different resources to work with. We recommend having a few staff ready for your event – whether they’re paid staff members or community volunteers is up to you! 

 Driver/Author Escort

This person can help transport the author from their accommodation to the event location, and ensure that they know where to go and when to be there. 

Moderator

A moderator helps introduce the author, move the event along, and manage interaction and engagement with the audience. This can be anyone from someone in conversation on stage with the author, to someone assigned to introduce the author, or a teacher that introduces the author and their work to the class. 

Book Signing Escort

This person can help the author get from the event location to the location for greeting readers and signing books. They can also help ensure the lineup is respectful and moving at a pace that is maintainable for the author. 

“Security” Team

The security team can be as simple as having a security plan in case of an emergency or any disrespectful behavior to the author. Having a discussion with the author in advance and having a plan in place with your team for swiftly removing the author, unwanted guests, or the crowd is essential.

Handling A Book Buy

 
Partner With a Local Bookstore
Reach out to your local independent bookstores. Most bookstores need at least 3-4 weeks notice, so plan in advance.
 
Order with Authors Unbound
Our team offers book sales and large book orders for all of the authors that we work with. If you don’t have a preferred bookstore, we’re happy to help you fill an order. We may even be able to offer a slight event discount with a large book buy – be sure to inquire with your agent!

Accessibility For Your Patrons


Venue Access

Do you have easy access to your venue for anyone who might need assistance? This goes for both patrons and hosts. Is the stage easily accessible for authors? Can patrons reach their seats? Consider all areas that guests may need to get to, and ensure that there are safe exits and pathways through the crowd.

Sign Language Interpretation
Providing an interpreter opens up accessibility to your event. Interpreters can be hired locally, or you might consider contacting your community college if they have a sign language program. Students are often available to help as part of their studies. 

Providing Captioning

Captioning provides the content and information of the event to people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Captions are a text version of the speech that are synchronized with the audio and usually show in a media player. This can be done on screen behind the author. AI captioning is a helpful resource, as it helps translate the talk into captioning in real time. 

Resources for Hosts

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